Apple iPhone 5s vs. HTC One: Which phone should you get?

The iPhone 5s is the latest, greatest new handset from Apple, and while the HTC One may not be the latest Android handset on the market, by many accounts, it's still the greatest. Unlike many of its Android competitors, it has build quality to rival Apple's, including a similar penchant for aluminium, but also the very Android-like (and not very Apple-like) big screen to go with it. HTC has a reputation for pushing specs to the limit, while Apple has a reputation for pushing experience over specs. Both are fantastic, but the question is - which is the more fantastic for you?

HTC One

HTC has been pushing impressive phones back before they even pushed their own brand. They made the Treo Pro. The original Android G1. The Nexus One. And the HTC One might be the most impressive yet. Like the iPhone 5s, it's got an aluminium shell, though where the iPhone uses glass on the front and on the bottom and top of the back, HTC uses plastic around the sides. Hey, the radio signal has to get out somewhere. It's also got a gutsy camera that sacrifices megapixels for big pixels, which are far more important, and it takes sound as seriously as it does photons, with Beats audio. It's also got Sense, HTC's interface layer, which could be a pro or a con, depending on how you feel about it. Sense UI might not be the most intuitive interface, but you can get the Google Play edition in some countries if you prefer the stock experience.

HTC One: The good

Stunning design, and some of the best build quality we’ve seen in an Android smartphone. Near-perfect screen with excellent colors and viewing angles. Incredibly speedy performance, completely lag-free interface and an attractive, streamlined Sense UI. Excellent audio quality from the front speakers (and bundled earbuds). The “UltraPixel” camera performs really well in low light ...

HTC One: The bad

… but the the overall camera experience doesn't quite live up to HTC’s hype. Certain features like “Video Highlights” could be better implemented. The wonky button setup takes some getting used to. BlinkFeed is useful but underdeveloped.

HTC One: The bottom line

The HTC One is an exquisite piece of design and engineering. From the hardware to the software, HTC’s new handset incorporates some of the very best design work in the industry. If there’s something to be disappointed about, it might be the much-vaunted “UltraPixel” camera. Which is not to say it’s bad per se -- in fact, it’s pretty good. But it’s a long way off being the silver bullet to cure all your mobile photography woes, and though its low-light performance is fantastic, it still lags behind the competition in some other areas.

In spite of this, is it HTC’s best phone yet? Without question. And on balance, is it the best Android phone you can buy? For the moment, absolutely.

iPhone 5s

The iPhone 5s didn't take as many risks as the HTC One. It didn't increase the camera pixel size or aperture as much, it didn't ramp up the speakers, and it certainly didn't increase the screen size to anything nearly as big. What it did do is ramp up the insides. It has the first 64-bit mobile processor, the Apple A7, the Apple M7 motion coprocessor, a much improved 8-megapixel iSight camera, increased LTE support, and the Touch ID fingerprint identity sensor. It has the same 4-inch screen, but it also has the newly redesigned iOS 7.

iPhone 5s: The good

The iPhone 5s is twice as fast as last year's already fast model. The improvements to the camera, including new 120fps slow motion video, are considerable. Built on top of a physics and particle engine, iOS 7 is not only a welcome redesign for Apple, but for the industry. Likewise, Touch ID works so well you'll immediately want it on everything.

iPhone 5s: The bad

Aside from the processors, camera, and Touch ID, not much has changed, unless you count new space gray and gold colors. It's still a 4-inch screen, which some people might find small, and while iOS 7 is beautiful in many ways, it's unfinished in some, and without the customization available to Android.

iPhone 5s: The bottom line

Apple call's the iPhone 5s their most forward-thinking iPhone ever, and on that they deliver. From iOS 7 to Touch ID to 64-bit, it's next-year's technology in your hand today. It's going to be on most carriers, in most countries in the world, and with the usual, unmatched app, accessory, and media support. Ultimately, it's the best iPhone ever. Again. If that's not what you want, Apple has nothing different to offer you. If it is, get it now.

If a bigger screen and the ability to customize is more important to you than running iOS and all the high quality apps and accessories that come with it, or if you simply don't like Apple, go with the HTC One.

If access to the iOS App Store, iTunes, and Apple Stores is more important to you than the power and flexibility that comes with Android, or you simply don't like Android or HTC, go with the iPhone 5s.

That's boiling it down to ridiculously absurd levels, but that's what buying decisions are all about. If you're still not sure, here are full reviews for both phones, and the best forums in the world to ask questions and get answers. Once you've decided, leave a comment below telling me why you went the way you did!

Still undecided?

If you're still not sure what to get, head on over to your local big box or carrier show and ask to try them out. Don't settle for dummy phones, ask to use demo units, and try them out for yourself. If you think you want an iPhone, but aren't sure which model, carrier, color, or capacity, here's a lot more information to help you decide:

iPhone 5s
Apple's current flagship iPhone with a 4-inch in-cell display, LTE 4G, and BT 4.0 LE. New features include:

I had a hard time deciding between the both for a business line. I decided to get a 5S because having all the apps I've paid for, Contacts, iMessage, FaceTime, and every other iOS/Mac/Apple TV ecosystem tool sync through is just too valuable to me.

The Google Play Store is anywhere near as bad as Apple advocates make it out to be. And there's even several categories of apps that aren't even possible on iOS, such as launchers, live wallpapers, widgets, Tasker, etc. Unless you're really into mobile gaming, the difference in apps is going to be extremely minimal.

My decision mainly concerned how easy it was to sync everything. As an HTC One owner, I've made do with Google's Music Manager, contact sync, etc. I got a $25 play store gift card for buying it too, which definitely helped.

Also, you can't say the iPhone 5S is extreme on the inside without saying the HTC One is also extreme on the inside.

I'd actually argue Android phones are better for games if the games you want to play are on Android--some casual games benefit from the smaller, more one-hand-able iPhone, but for the most part, having more screen real estate makes for easier controls and a more immersive experience. And speaking of immersive, the One's stereo, front-facing speakers certainly don't hurt in that area.

Obviously the iOS App Store has a wider selection, many games come to iOS first, and some games will never even make it to the Google Play Store, so it's certainly not all bad for the iPhone, but I don't think gaming is such an easy checkbox in the iPhone column as it used to be.

I'm still sitting on the fence after having switched from a One to a 5s, but I will say I'm not chafing within the iOS prison nearly as much as I expected to even after a couple weeks--using the 5s has been quite a pleasant change of pace.

iOS 7 outside of its appearance is one of the most progressive ios release in a very long time. That's not intended to undermine its past short comings, but to enunciate the blinders that were there before.

If Android is the best choice for someone's needs, then party on, have at it. If iOS fits your needs just as well. If you prefer Windows Phone 8 or Blackberry (equal footing in development from first party and third party), I don't understand but I can respect the desire.

Your first paragraph makes little sense and has no point in the comparison. The only people that still use Blackberries are required to through their jobs and the only people that use Windows phones are über-Microsoft people.

Android is malleable and can adapt to most everyone's needs. iOS conforms to an 8 year old's needs and an 80 year old's needs. The heavy user will find limitations at every corner.

After 4 years on Android I completely disagree. Android phones go obsolete very quickly and needed updates or are non-existent. Most people need a phone to last 2 years on their contract - Android phones are typically abandoned by carriers and get no updates after 6 months. iPhones get updates for 3 years typically.

If by malleable you mean much more prone to malware, crashes, useless widgets slowing the phones to a crawl, carrier bloatware that cannot be uninstalled, locked bootloaders that prevent user customization then you are just drank too much android koolaid.

The biggest fallacy out there is that android phones are open and customizable - false. The vast majority are locked down by the manufacturers and carriers. The launchers and skins that users think they customize their phones with just add another layer of instability and slow the phones down further.

I've dealt with Android phones and tablets since the original Droid and have yet to see and android phone that can match its contemporary iPhobe for usability.

If you want something that get's updates then buy from the Google Play store. Nexus 5 should most likely be available in the next few weeks and the Google Play editions of both the HTC ONE and the Samsung S4 are available now and have been updated to the newest version of Android within weeks of release. If you buying from carriers then you have to blame them for a big portion of the update woes people have with every company except Apple. Apple says either we do what we want or you don't get to sell our phones. Google needs to start flexing their muscle in this reguard. If you have a nexus device or a Google play edition then c_hack your wrong. If you are a little technical you can root the phone and put a different version of the OS on it like I have done to my HTC ONE X which is over a year old running the newest version of Android. If you just want to buy a phone and forget it then the Moto X is great and the Nexus phones.

I agree with you after 4 years on android I think I changed 8 android phones just to keep up with all the updates unless you want to hack them and hope that the developer won't abandon the project. So for stability performance and quality in my opinion the Iphone wins just jailbreak it and it rocks

Hey Connor, your comments about BlackBerry's are extremely uneducated but I wouldn't expect any less from someone like you, I purchased the BlackBerry Q10 on a two year contract because not only do I like the phone, but also because physical keyboards are still the best, when I start to make spelling mistakes on my Q10 I know it's time for me to call it a day and go asleep, typing on a touchscreen phone nearly every second word ends up being miss spelled, also your comments about Windows mobile is completely untrue also, that's like saying the only people who buy iPhones are Apple freaks.

Purchasing a BlackBerry in this day and age defines being uneducated. There are Android devices with keyboards---Photon Q. QWERTY phones have so many sacrifices though. Screen size, phone size, etc. Learn to type on a touchscreen. Keyboards like the Google Keyboard and Swype and SwiftKey make it even easier. And yes, that's exactly what I'm saying. Microsoft and Apple lock users into their ecosystems. I'm not calling them freaks, I'm just saying that no Mac user will regularly use a Windows phone.

The main reason I stay on ios isn't for games, it's for productivity. All my email accounts have the same first class clients. My productivity apps on my Mac have ios equivalents without any noticeable drop in functionality.

I don't hate Android by any means but are you actually using the "Apple is better at gaming" excuse? If you are and you are being serious id say you are wrong, and it's the first time I've ever heard that about Apple.

I've considered switching to Android a few times. The productivity Eco-system is what keeps me in ios. Live wallpapers, and launchers don't add enough value to make me switch heavy OmniPlan, OmniFocus, Pages, Mail (VIP Driven) workflows for my own routines,

I barely play Angry Birds, but if I did I, sure it would play the same on a Android.

I'm not simply using the "Apple is better at gaming" excuse. I'm trying to comprehend what apps Android users are actually missing out on. It is common knowledge though that many game developers focus on iOS. OmniFocus has a decent first party alternative (Google Keep), OmniPlan is a beast in it's own right though, and the VIP feature in Mail is pretty useful, but I've found that gmail's new separation of inboxes to be better because you can further divide things by importance. I tried to use Pages on my Mac and iPad for awhile and found the tablet functionality to be minimal compared to what Word has. I just bring my MacBook Air wherever I need to edit docs. You're in the minority that believes that Pages is better, even with companion apps.

Having a Google Keep widget and calendar widget on my homescreen is essential to my routine. On my Nexus 7, I even have email widgets that are beyond useful. The only thing I gave up in productivity was lockscreen notifications, which is coming via 4.3 this month to my HTC One (through lockscreen widgets, which I'll use DashClock for). What I gained was increased sharing between apps and battery life that will last me the whole day with heavy use. Given my work environment is heavily based on Office 2013, the Windows Phone would probably be generally more integrated, but the Lync app is more than enough, and giving into Microsoft's clutches would be the last thing I do.

I run a Pocket Informant widget on my Nexus 7 and find that it takes longer for it to load and update than it takes to tap and load PI on my iPhone 4s. To compound the problem. the PI widget and Weatherbug widget loading when the Nexus wakes significantly slow its response. I see the same on my Galaxy Nexus (running CM). I need a phone that wakes and responds instantly. Widgets have a serious adverse affect. Even with the quad core Nexus 7 running 4.3, it runs slower than my 2 year old iPhone 4s, probably because of the widgets.

I can get a lot of work done on my iPhone while I would be waiting for a Nexus to load its widgets. Remember those widgets only give you live info after the device wakes up and they load.

As an HTC customer, I don't know - There are many things you aren't taking into consideration. Last years flagship, the One X, is still getting updates. It shipped with a brand new Sense 4 built on Ice Cream Sandwich. It was updated well within its first year to Jellybean (the newest version of Android). Then you look at it now (almost exactly a year and a half later) and it's getting yet another OS update - this time a big one to Sense 5 built on Android 4.2.2. Also, according to a leak, it's supposed to be updated again to Android 4.3. That's 3 major updates within a 2 year period. I think the software engineers over at HTC are plenty busy and should actually be rewarded for their efforts. IMHO tho, and Apple does do a great job keeping phones up to date - I just don't think it's really fair to spit on HTC when they're actually doing a pretty great job.

I agree with you. Honestly I do. But comparing HTC to apple when it comes to software updates isn't a battle you will win. Apple had major penetration of ios 7 a week into release while many phones are just now getting Jelly Bean from last year.

Comparing HTC to Samsung or Nokia maybe more of a fair argument though potentially. Microsoft had promised two years of software updates for all windows phone 7 devices then took it back months after the Lumia 800 and 900 was released. That's a perfect example of a vendor abandoning the customer, and should be avoided.

Software updates are a different story now though, as Google can deliver updates to all of its core apps through the Google Play Store rather than through an OS update. The only limitations on updates are from the manufacturer. Android-wise, almost every flagship phone will be up-to-date with every Google app within a reasonable OS range (4.x, for example). If you're not buying a Nexus phone, part of your purchase is for something other than stock android. You're buying a different experience. While there may be perks to having this different experience, the downside will be that you won't get updates as quickly. It's a user choice that should not be blamed on the manufacturer. With Nexus devices, Google's updates blow Apple out of the water in terms of frequency and core app updates.

That doesn't help. Google Play Apps don't fix massive security holes. The only way to fix them is OS updates, and between OEM vendors and Carriers, it takes so long, that it's a joke.

Sometimes, if a certain security hole gets a lot of press, they might jump to fix it. Otherwise, they ignore it..

So yeh. they can update the Apps.. However, that doesn't address the major reasons people REALLY need timely updates. Until carriers get out of the way, like they do with the iPhone, and OEMS take some responsibility for their phones.. They'll never truly be secure or reliable to the level Apples iOS is.

We've already seen to major patches to iOS 7. We're now on iOS 7.0.2, and that would never happen so quickly for any of the Android smartphones.

That can't happen as quick because Google has to release an update, then HTC has to make it work for the phone, then your carrier has to agree to push it through. It's a much more complicated system for Android phones because no one has the power that Apple does. That is something Apple is lucky it can tote around. It can (as far as I'm aware) push updates as it feels it needs, where HTC and the likes need to get it approved by carriers, which is a painful process.

Most Android phones are not Nexus and the statistics show the vast majority of Android users have an outdated OS. My experience with HTC - Incredible and Incredible 2 were terrible. In fact the DI2 never got any updates HTC promised. Don't even mention the (Motorola) Droid X2 - its was abandoned 3 months out of the gate. That is more typical for the average droid.

Nexus updates are a joke. Just look at the delays updating the Galaxy Nexus on Sprint and Verizon. Where Apple updates are available immediately, the Verizon Nexus did not get its update for about 4 months. You call a 4 month delay blowing Apple out of the water? I call it a joke - and that was supposed to be the premium Verizon Nexus phone.

As for app updates, I received dozens of app updates coinciding with iOS7 on my iPhone and iPad. Thanks to the great developer support on iOS.

When 4.3 came on Android - nothing.

Bottom line is if you want app and OS updates get an iOS device. If you want to wait 4 months (best case) or not get updates at all (most phones) get an Android.

The thing you're missing here is the way Google does it's updates. On iOS the major apps are part of the OS meaning you'll never see an update to mail, calendar, and these core apps. Google knowing they have issues with some companies updating have smartly gone another route. They broke out all their core apps so they can be updated regardless of what HTC or any of the other companies choose to do. This enables Google to upgrade Android without involving any of the carriers or manufacturers. They can upgrade almost everything except the core OS. Essentially making the experiences you would get in the newer versions of Android on the older version that hasn't been updated.

I love the HTC One form factor - was the first phone that's ever made me (briefly) consider switching from Apple - but way prefer iOS as an operating system - a combination of the two (albeit with Apple's camera software and touch ID), would be my perfect phone.

Sadly, I think this may be one time that Apple didn't focus on experience. While iOS 7 has some great features, the experience isn't up to what you would expect from Apple. I have heard a lot of people complaining about iOS 7, for many, it just isn't as intuitive.

Just did sort of the same thing myself. I own an HTC One and absolutely love it. But from time to time i found myself having iPhone envy. So I recently bought an iPhone 5. Its kind of hard making the jump to a smaller keyboard and IOS is kind of stagnant in comparison to Android. But i now understand why people love their iPhones. Its just easy to use. Simple and powerful. Am i going to stick with the iPhone, yes and no ...Just bought a nano to micro sim converter so I can switch back every so often.

I had an HTC One for 5 months and switched to iPhone 5s. Both have their advantages and disadvantages, but what tipped the scale for me was the battery life. The One just uses more battery when you're not using it than the iPhone does. I could have worked around the shorter battery life of the One if it didn't take so long to charge.

HTC one is a great phone but still you haven't compared the 5S to the best Android device made, the Note 3. The Note 3 is the most powerful Smart Phone made. Nothing made today can compete, it's more powerful than most home laptops. I own the 5S and absolutely love it more every day but the Note 3 is just a completely different kind of phone. It is better than any tablet, you can do so much more with the Note 3 than any other hand held device. Developer support will be unbelievable for this device, after market accessories will be everywhere. As far as the build is concerned, you can not have a removable battery without a removable back door. If the Note 3's back door feels cheap to you then it is very easy to buy a after market door, there will be real leather, metal, wood etc. You name it they will have it. The phone IMO is just a beast. This is no way taking away from the quality of the 5S, I had to have the Note 3, I bought it and it is fast as lightening, no lag, no lag what so ever, not even a pinch. This is my new tablet, work device. My 5S is my everyday phone that I can not put down. I just feel if you are going to compare the best of Apple you must compare it to the best of Android. I couldn't choose, had to have them both.

If anyone has read the business news today, HTC appears to be in the same type of danger that Blackberry finds itself in. The One may be the best phone overall (I said may) but if the company is in trouble I can't seriously consider buying one. As an analogy, I owned a Fiat in the 1970s and, for it's flaws, it was the best car I had owned but they decided to abandon North America and my car was an orphan. I cried but switched to a VW.

I chose between these two phones and chose the HTC One. My reasons are pretty straightforward: beautiful, larger screen, 32 GB internal memory standard, customization possibilities,and the price. I paid just $100 for the HTC One, whereas the iPhone 5s with 32 GB would have set me back $300. I sold my iPhone 4s for $190 so I ended up pocketing $90.
Would I ever go back to Apple? Maybe, but they had better come out with a much larger screen, at least as large as the HTC One, or I will stay with Android. If anything, the HTC One can only get better.

HTC is unique among uber-phone makers in that they understand the importance of speakers. You can't share a favorite video clip at the pub or at the office water cooler with any phone except the HTC One because the person you're trying to amuse or impress with the latest/greatest film clip won't be able to hear the action clearly in any room more crowded than a closet.

There is no comparison. Let me make this clear. I had a case of temporary insanity and left my iPhone 5 for the HTC One. Needless to say what a disaster. Had to return the HTC One 4 times due to the "purple haze" camera problems the One is plagued with right now. It took what seemed like years to get a 100% charge on it. The only positive was the boom sound. Great sound quality. Bottom line don't even think about it. Stick with your iPhone. You thank yourself for avoiding a mistake. Never leaving my iPhone again. No phone on the market can match the software and hardware quality.

Another thing to consider is resale value. Gazelle will purchase a 2-year old iPhone 4S with 16 GBs of ram (in good condition) for 190.00 dollars. The 6 month old HTC One with 32 GBs in the same condition - 200.00. Who knows what the HTC will be worth in two years?

I don't have the HTC One though it is a very nice piece of hardware. I currently have the Galaxy Note 2 and the iPhone 5. Of late I've found myself using my iPhone on the weekends and my Note 2 during the week. On the weekends I don't need the longer battery life and I like to throw my phone in a pocket without the bulk. During the week the Note 2 is a beast with the killer battery life and the ability to do voice and data simultaneously on Verizon. This causes me to swap phones for the best of both worlds. I've told my wife a hundred times if Apple would release at 4.5-4.8" screen iPhone with voice/data simultaneously and a 3000 mah battery I'd be first in line and they would sell millions. I would gladly add a little thickness to the phone for an increase in battery size. Until then I'll continue to swap phones as needed. Being able to just swap out the sim on Verizon has been very handy since their LTE came along.

I purchased an HTC One on launch day of the iPhone 5c and 5s just to see I likes the os. I love the design plus it was from best buy so it was blue (loved it). Then I started using it, the first app I downloaded was Netflix and speed test. Im a heavy streamer as far as HBO go and Netflix. So that's the first thing I did on my way home. Every 2-3 minutes it would buffer something that never happened with my iPhone 4 or 5. Then the speed test, it was measuring by KB's rather than GB's and the speed was about a quarter of my 5. Now the biggest down side, I spent 7 days trying to customize it the way I wanted and still didn't get it the way I wanted. This was the most frustrating part. The iPhone is just so much more user friendly and fluent. I had to download all the widgets and still everything seemed so complicated, the only thing I like about the android OS is the typing and how it knows what your about to say(very nice touch). The camera was ok and had some cool features. Battery life seemed to drain after heavy steaming very quickly. Overall the HTC one is a very stylish phone with a nice display. The design was my favorite feature but the OS is the worst except for the smart typing or what ever they call it and I'm very tech savvy. So my final decision was to go with the 5s once I found one and love it. The screen even though it's not 1080p looks much crisper and doesn't have that greenish tint. The camera features blow it away especially at night and are allot easier to use. The new OS is a no brainer and the speed is outstanding. I've been streaming Netflix and HBO GO non stop on LTE and it hasn't crashed or buffered once. One thing I did mention was the sound I really don't notice a difference with HTC's Beats and the iPhone (just a marketing scheme) IMO. Also the size I much rather being able to use my phone with ones hand and have no problems watching videos from a distance as well a much better fit in your pocket. The iPhone is also is also so fluent when multitasking and switching from one app to the next, the One seemed as if for some there was a delay. Bottom line the iPhone 5 and 5s kills the HTC one for me and I'll never try a android phone again. I'm not a fan boy by any means just stating my opinion so don't hate.

I have to agree, I purchased a HTC ONE a few weeks with the intention of selling my iphone 5. Im thinking about going back to my iphone 5 now.. main reasons, the HTC ONE is a big phone to carry around, and there are no real Android alternatives in the 4.3 inch screen region, there are just no Androids that have the full specs. Sound Latency - if you ever tried playing a piano app, there is a 70ms delay with audio, this is ridiculous there is no delay on the iphone 5. Screen - the iphone screen looks better, blacks are black, whites are white and its crisp and brighter.. Android - its still a mess, I spent so much time trying to customise it, it made me go crazy, I prefer the look and feel of IOS, its so much simple. Files - the Android file system is a mess, trying to find my documents, im a heavy user, downloading heaps of games and apps, there were too many folders in the root directory. Widgets - battery suckers. Games - a lot of games are not configured correctly for the device, whats the point of having a powerful device when a lot of android apps just don't let you run at high settings, sure there are ways around this, why do I need to waste more time to configure so many things? Also IOS games always are available first... Updates - you have no idea when HTC will release an update, there is no schedule, its a joke.. Resale value - Apple devices resale value is a lot better. backing up the device - still don't know exactly how this works Summary - im a busy person, , im also very techie though haven't got the time to play around with launchers, widgets, rooting, custom roms etc etc etc, the HTC ONE is a great phone, though Google needs to do more to fix the shortcomings of Andorid.

My biggest problem with Android is how most things never leave the beta phase. I know many Android dude wont agree with me but for one i really dislike how Android handles backups and even saved data as well as computer connections. Still after so many years there is no backup facility in Android that backsup all user application as well as user data. Yes you can do that if you root but that is not an option for most people. Same with connecting my phone to say my mac, it dont support this simple task even! Or how about installing applications on SD card! Why was that even removed from Android i wonder.
As long as these factors are there for me atleast Android remain a beta product. I just cant rely on it fully. I have an S4 together with my iphone5S which i use as my default phone. Sure there are plenty of good things to say about android which are absent in iOS but unless the basic features are there i wont recommend Android. Another thing that is really bad in Android is the whole copy/past/select text. Its just absurd how bad it works at times.

On the good side i just love the custimization in Android, i love Swype key and really miss it on iOS, i really hate typing without it :(

April to Oct 2013, the HTC was the phone to get. After October, the Apple is the more powerful unit for tasks. That said, the HTC One is no slouch and isn't far behind in doing the most intensive of tasks. So it's a tough call. As for build quality, hold these handsets side by side and HTC not only has rivaled Apple in design and good looks, they've surpassed them. HTC One, mini & max is a product line that Apple has yet to introduce. To me, the One & One mini were enough to best the 5c & 5s. The One Max, that might've been better served as a 7 or 8 inch tablet and maybe HTC should've considered a 10 inch tablet as well ?

This was about the One vs the 5s though. The 5s will do heavier workloads, but battery life isn't what the HTC One has. So the extra few seconds or whatever a task takes is offset by having more battery life at the end of your working day. That's where the One is the superior phone, when you can confidently know that late at night there is enough power to make and receive a phone call in an emergency. That's a huge advantage for any phone. During the day they all do what you pay for a data plan to do. But at 10 pm at night are you scrambling to find a wall outlet to get even a partial charge to finish off the day ? So if it takes a few seconds more to upload a picture or other file during the course of the day, the risks are whether the task is interrupted and incomplete. The iphone is subject to the same network coverage issue the One is, but at the end of the day, factor in the reduced battery life as potential exposure to a failure. The One is less prone to that risk exposure. No battery life and both phones are really worthless. The iphone has enough battery life though, but I see too many co-workers charging their iphones during the course of the day at their desks. My One just rocks in that regard, I've rarely had to charge it at my desk at work, and sometimes, I didn't charge it the night before when I do have to charge it.

HTC has good specs and the works.... BUT Quality control is shocking..... lots of dead pixels and NEVER ask them to repair or replace anything....it makes it worst.... had my HTC ONE MAX for 2 days found a dead pxiel, HTC didnt give me a new one and suggested that i repair for free..... I sent it to them for repair and they broke the AP lights, mic, made more dead pixels, and broke the outside shell of the phone..... bought the phone on the 30th oct 2013, now is 22nd November, only had the phone in my possession for about a week.... and after the second repair job still doesnt feel right

Well, I think this is a very late response on the article above. However, I am convinced that I need to change my device to something new. I am an iphone user since 2007. Never carried another! I got my late iphone 4 from the states, it was 32G it was an awesome device wich satisfied me for two years, until the iphone 5 was released I got it for the satisfaction I have from apple. However, using iphone 5 was satisfactory to me somehow, until I had a battery problem after 9 months of the purchasing date. I literary keep my phone plugged wherever i have electrical socket, I think iphone battery problem been there since ever especially that there are too many things to do on the device. nevertheless, I never felt it is as bad as this one.
However, the idea to upgrade to 5s came along the thought of the battery, and i was told by technicals that HTC battery has a great performance. Which I doubt from my own point of view because all large screen devices with too many entertainment like app store and play store products consume battery very fast. But from my previous experience in Iphone devices and others, I can confirm that the Iphone 5 has a battery problem which wasnt identified in this article:-)
However, and after reading the above, I am concerned in the performance of the devices more than customization, and just now, I have decided to take the risk and buy a new gold Iphone 5S 32G only in one condition is to get it from USA, not from my country "Jordan" because I believe that the devices imported to Jordan have a lower class than the ones sold in the states!

nope, the 64 bit A7 cpu in the iPhone 5s is twice as slow as the one in the HTC one. If you didn't know, gaming is done on a GPU not a CPU. There isn't any cpu speed gain due to the iPone having just a gig of RAM. The HTC's 32 bit cpu is better, just the gpu is a bit outdated.....

I am one of those clueless technology guys that james996 referenced, and after a couple of pre-owned hand-me-downs, I'm about to invest on my first smartphone. I'm considering both the HTC One and the iPhone 5S, but what I'm mostly interested in is a great camera. Nice shots, including in low-light conditions. How do these two stack up in that respect?